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Business Management Essentials Certificate Program Program Details

Penn Foster’s online Business Management Essentials Certificate Program consists of classes geared toward helping students gain foundational knowledge to enhance a business career. Your classes cover an introduction to business, business writing and math, and management essentials.

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Program Goal and Outcomes

Program Goal

The Business Management Essentials certificate provides students with new job skills or refines existing business management knowledge to advance in a current position, improve performance in a current business or prepare for further training.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, students will be able to...

  • Discuss the various functions of business including competition, economics, accounting, technology and information systems; marketing; management through the phases of starting and growing a business; management of financial and human resources; along with the ethical and social responsibilities of business
  • Discuss both the business environment and the manager's role in decision making, planning, organizing, leading, controlling, and developing an ethical perspective
  • Demonstrate understanding of basic mathematical operations including percentages, discounts, interest, present worth, sinking funds, installment buying, pricing, depreciation, investments, insurance, use of symbols and their applications, equations and formulas, and the importance of statistics
  • Demonstrate methods of organizing material for a professional setting by composing business memos, emails, outlines, reports, and proposals using the ABC method
Introduction to Business

This course outlines the elements of business and the challenges businesses face in a global environment, such as competition and economic factors. You'll learn why accounting, technology and information systems, marketing, and management are essential to starting and growing a business. You'll also learn the basics of managing financial and human resources and the ethical and social responsibilities required of a successful manager.

Objectives:

  • Identify different elements that distinguish capitalism, socialism, communism, and mixed economies
  • Define the role of small business in the free enterprise system
  • Assess elements of the global economy, such as labor, capital, trade, and natural resources, and how they influence business
  • Analyze the functions of business, such as management, organization, human relations, marketing, financing, and ethics
  • Identify the purpose of business policy and strategy
Principles of Management
This course familiarizes the student with both the business environment and the manager’s role within it. It covers decision making, planning, organizing, leading, and controlling, as well as developing an ethical perspective. 

Objectives:

  • Summarize the functions of management and the basic steps in various planning processes.
  • Explain how to make effective decisions as a manager and a leader.
  • Describe the fundamental elements of an organization’s structure and the components of an organization’s competitive environment.
  • Explain principles for setting goals that motivate employees, why companies develop control systems, and why teamwork is beneficial.
  • Analyze why diversity is a critical organizational and managerial issue, and describe the criteria for technology decisions and managing change.

Additional Course Material:
Textbook: M: Management, 6th Edition

Mathematics for Business and Finance
This course will provide you with a foundation in basic mathematical operations, including percentages, discounts, interest, present worth, sinking funds, installment buying, pricing, depreciation, investments, insurance, symbols, and statistics.

Objectives:

  • Analyze functions of whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents.
  • Show calculations involved in simple interest, compound interest, and time value of money.
  • Prepare various business math applications involving financial reports, installment buying, and depreciation.
  • Analyze various financial concepts related to taxes, insurance, financial investments, and basic business statistics.

Additional Course Material:
Textbook: Practical Business Math Procedures

Business and Technical Writing

Learn how to write business and technical documents.

Learn how to write business and technical documents.

Objectives:

  • Organize your material logically and systematically.
  • Use action verbs effectively and construct paragraphs.
  • Conduct research and document sources.

Additional Details

Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in this field are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered in the Penn Foster Program. Prospective students should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state(s) where they plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in this Program. Click here for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information.
Please review your state board requirements that are applicable to your field of study. State boards may impose a variety of different requirements.

Penn Foster Career School Accreditation & Licensing Details

Penn Foster has been accredited for over 50 years. Penn Foster Career School has been thoroughly reviewed and has earned several important accreditations, certifications, and licensing. Most importantly, Penn Foster Career School is both regionally and nationally accredited.

Accreditation
DEAC
MSA
Short Lessons
Easy-to-Access Lessons
Each lesson is broken into short chapters that allow you to fit learning into whatever time you have available. Don’t have time to finish a lesson? Not a problem - pick up where you left off next time!
Digital Flashcards
Digital Flashcards
A fun and interactive way to test your knowledge before your exams. Find out what information you've mastered, and what material needs additional review.
Discussion Boards
Discussion Boards
With Penn Foster Career School, you are never alone! Our learning platform includes discussion boards so you can connect with instructors and other students in the Business Management Essentials program.

Sample Business Management Essentials Lesson

Penn Foster courses are written in a way that is easy to understand, and materials are broken down into manageable lessons. Take a look at what a Business Management Essentials course would look like.
View Sample Lesson
Sample Business Management Essentials Lesson
Computer Specifications
As you know this is an online academic program. This means you will need access to high-speed internet to begin your program. In addition, you will need access to a Microsoft® Windows® based computer running Windows 10® or later or an Apple® Mac® computer running macOS® or later, and an email account to complete this program.
We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.
Microsoft and Windows are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.
Apple, Mac, and macOS are trademarks of Apple, Inc. registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.
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